So, aside from making one more keenly aware of calories coming in, there is another reason it works for me…
When I am fucking hungry as hell, whole, healthy foods are amazing and what I crave…
When eating mindlessly I gravitate to a lot of processed food…
I know this is a pretty simple observation…but to me its profound…and completely changed my relationship with food…and keeps me at my ideal weight
When I do IF and OMAD I much more intentionally plan what I am going to consume. This leads to much healthier choices that are not only good for me, but leave me feeling more fulfilled by my food rather than that endless chase for satiation that I experience with less nutritious options.
Which is why I say you have arrived when you change this thought…
I shouldn’t eat that…
With
I don’t want to eat that…
At that point you are free of the yo-yo cycle…
You can get there!
I did, but it took me hitting my 40s to finally having a tool that worked (IF)
I agree so much. When I IF or OMAD it feels like eating is an opportunity to nourish my body, I want to get in as much good stuff because I know it’s only a short matter of time before I’m done for the day.
But if I eat all day, it’s like one bad choice and I’m just going to eat whatever I want because oh well I’ll make a better choice later and then it’s just one big feast all day of junk choices because I never really did get around to eating that healthy meal I figured I would.
Wow I resonate with this so much.
Before IF, I paid no real attention to whatever I was eating and of course I always went for calorie dense junk food. Chips, biscuits, candy, frappés… all “little” things that eventually add up in the end.
Now I’m doing OMAD, I’m making much healthier choices and the beauty of it is it takes me much less to feel full in one sitting than spread across the day.
There’s no real reason why we should graze all day. We’re not cows!
I also choose healthier options with my limited feeding times and, in doing so, may have had just the tiniest bit of r/pettyrevenge.
See, I have a roommate that has notoriously taken portions of my snacks for herself for years. I would buy a box of nutty buddy bars or fritos or even pistachio gelato and she would (occasionally) help herself…without ever buying any to replace them. Well for the last week or so I’ve not been eating any of those things but suddenly we’re out. It might be shark week, idk, none of my business.
So today she asked “so, I noticed there hadn’t been any nutty buddies or ice cream for a while, are you going shopping soon.”
“Yeah, but I’m eating differently not so I probably won’t be getting any more snacks for a while.”
Man, they way she said “ooh…” you’d think I told her I was taking her sister to prom and not her. I almost want to buy more, lots more, just for her while I’m still dropping pounds. Maybe some chocolate trinity ice cream, that’s her favorite.
AITA?
Questions, how often do you do prolonged fasting? How long do you fast? I’m also doing IF and prolonged fasting but I’m having a hard time finding the right time to squeeze the prolonged fast in and not interrupt my IF schedule.
Yes! I’ve also found that IF makes a low-calorie budget much more satisfying for me. Trying to spread 1200-1400 calories throughout a full day leaves me unsatisfied at every meal. Cramming 1200-1400 calories into a 4-6 hour window? Now I’m full and happy, and don’t really miss dinner because I feel like I had a big lunch.